


Kurt and Burt's relationship seen in "I Want to Hold Your Hand"

by CyanoFal



Category: Glee
Genre: Archived from cyanoticfallacy blog, Meta, Meta Essay, Nonfiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-14 16:55:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16916709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyanoFal/pseuds/CyanoFal
Summary: Unpacking Kurt and Burt's relationship as seen in Kurt's performance of the song and reflecting on how this impacts Blaine's relationship with Kurt. - Originally posted April 19, 2017 on cyanoticfallacy blog.





	Kurt and Burt's relationship seen in "I Want to Hold Your Hand"

I remember when I Want to Hold Your Hand first aired and the flashbacks with baby Kurt took my breath away. They were just so beautifully done as they seamlessly fused into the song, and they expanded the world of Glee by including scenes outside of the school or someone’s house. Flashbacks to the glee club when they were little kids are often done for humor or characterization (or both), and the scenes with little Kurt teaching his dad how to hold up his pinky with a teacup to little Kurt’s hand in his dad’s at the gravesite are just so touching in the way they show how Kurt grew up with Burt.

Burt’s a pretty gruff kind of guy who likes Deadliest Catch and fixing cars, but he never let his own likes and dislikes get in the way of teaching his kid how to be his own person. He teaches Kurt how to ride a bike that has long pink streamers hanging off the ends. His typical breakfast might be a slim jim and coffee but he will play along with Kurt showing him how to be fancy because Kurt loves this stuff. Throughout the series, there’s nods to Kurt throwing murder mystery parties or trying to teach Burt how to cook fancy meals too. When Burt bonds with Kurt, he does it on Kurt’s terms.

This is probably why Blaine is so in awe of Kurt and Burt’s relationship too. Blaine always feels like he has to fit in to other people’s expectations and wants of him. He judges himself for “running away” from bullies because he felt like people would think he’s a coward, even though he was really leaving a dangerous situation to protect his own safety (and that’s p brave in itself but I digress). He’s willing to audition for a smaller role in West Side Story because it would make Kurt happy and it would rock the boat if he got the part as a junior instead of a senior. He endures all of Finn’s jealousy and devaluation of his abilities until it becomes a breaking point and he lets it all explode on the punching bag. And this is related to his own dad having their father-son bonding time be fixing an old car, an activity that was on his dad’s terms instead of Blaine’s terms. Blaine from toddler age was a little performer, and father-son bonding time on the child’s terms would be going to see a musical or a movie or driving around town with a great CD (or tape cassette - lil baby Blaine was def around for the transition from tapes to CDs) and singing together. I’m not saying Blaine’s dad was a terrible father or anything, but I am saying that I understand how not being able to relate to others on your own terms can make it hard for you to assert your own needs as you grow up. Blaine didn’t have the relationship with his dad that let him express his own interests, so that’s why he thinks Kurt’s independence and bravery and freedom of expression is so amazing and that’s one of the ways Burt did a great job listening to his kid’s needs.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally added as a response to black-john-lennon's episode ranking for "Grilled Cheesus"


End file.
